This article originally appeared on YODL on June 20, 2022.
On May 12, 2022 CFIN presented its second members-only event, Robotics in Action: Seeing is Believing. The virtual event was sponsored by Farm Credit Canada and hosted by @Jim Beretta, president of Customer Attraction, a marketing consultancy which focuses on robotics, automation and applications.
Beretta spoke with several Canadian entrepreneurs whose companies are leading technological change in the food industry, and demonstrated cutting-edge automation solutions at Western University, Mycionics, Ghost Kitchen Brands and 168 Sushi, and robotic systems from SJW Robotics, Anubis 3D, Gastronomous Technologies, JMP Solutions, Armo Tool and Tiny Mile Robotics.
Here are the top five takeaways from the session:
1. Automation and robots don’t reduce jobs
Robots and automatic systems are designed to do the tasks that are dangerous, dirty or repetitive and are a solution to current labour shortages in the industry. While robots perform tasks such as picking and packing, employees are freed up to complete more value-added and skilled duties. Collaborative robotic systems are designed with added safeguards so that they work side-by-side with their human counterparts.
2. Automation is becoming more efficient and less costly
In the last decade, costs of implementing automatic systems or robotics have fallen, while performance and consistency have increased dramatically. There are also many new advancements in gripping technology, resolving older robotic challenges such as distinguishing between different sized and shaped products or boxes.
3. Robotic systems can be integrated into existing operations
Automation systems and robotics are now easier to integrate into food operations, and are often designed so that companies can add one piece of technology at a time to ensure success and worker comfort. Working together with technology companies, food businesses can integrate plug-and-play components or create unique, custom-designed system featuring different technology modified to fit their needs.
4. Automation can lead to lower energy and input costs, while boosting food safety and capacity
Technology that provides food producers with real-time data analytics enables them to optimize the use of energy and raw materials, reduce food and energy waste, and achieve higher production capacities. Data analytics can also be used to predict preventative maintenance in the system and prevent drops in throughput. Many companies rely on robotics that target sanitary compliance to safely and reliably assemble foods such as protein and uncooked ready-to-eat meals for retail or healthcare, where safe food handling is crucial.
5. Automated foodservice offerings go far beyond vending
Quick-service kiosks that offer a wide range of hot and cold food choices like salad, pizza and cooked noodles are appearing on campuses, in malls and in other public spaces. Far beyond vending machines, the kiosks offer made-to-order meals prepared while you watch in just minutes, with a variety of customizations and payment options available. With a low carbon footprint and minimal labour needs, the kiosks have the potential of replacing QSR units in some locations.
Robotics in Action – Seeing is Believing generated lots of questions from CFIN Members who were eager to learn more about the innovative companies that were featured during the event.
So, to help answer these questions, we thought we’d tap into the founders and executives at the companies to get the answers to your most pressing questions.
Stefan Glibetic, lead engineer and CTO, Mycionics Inc.
Q: Are there any processing effects of robots and scanning on mushrooms?
A: Since the mushrooms are very fragile, one of the biggest challenges in the mushroom harvesting industry is picking mushrooms without damage. Our system was designed from the ground up with this in mind, hence why we developed custom soft gripping technology instead of using commonly seen end-effectors on the market. Our system is able to pick and process mushrooms with damage rates equal to skilled human harvesters. Additionally, our scanning technology is very low-powered, safe, and doesn’t affect the mushrooms.
Q: How can this technology be commercialized in other fruit and vegetable picking environments?
A: Our systems are highly modular, and structured in a way that can be easily applied to other crops and industries, especially those with tight space restrictions. Right now, we are focusing our efforts on mushrooms, but the same technology and principles can be applied to new applications in the future.
Q: Are the mushroom robotics currently using AI?
A: Yes, our machine vision system applies a combination of algorithms, including AI, to process the vision data in order to determine mushroom properties, and how to pick those mushrooms effectively and without damage. We also capture environmental microclimate data, such us temperature, humidity and CO2, which helps the farmer visualize their growing environment and grow higher-quality mushrooms.
Q: With an increase in consistent delivery of mushrooms, will we see more umami products on shelves?
A: Although it's no a current goal of ours, we do hope that through the use of our technology, the mushroom quality will increase over time as farmers will be able to focus more of their efforts on growing, rather than on harvesting logistics.
Kristian Tazbazian, co-founder and COO Gastronomous Technologies
Q: Which parts of Gastronomous robots use AI ?
A: The AI side of food automation lies in software and the way that data is analyzed in order to improve both operational as well as user efficiency.
Nipun Sharma, CEO, SJW Robotics
Q: How do you monitor inventory levels/replenishments?
A: The system has full traceability and product data recorded at the point of refill via bar scan. Along with temperature controls, volume/weight dispensing sensors and recipe metrics, we can accurately measure inventory levels and shelf-life to allow us to trigger timely refills.
Q: How is nutritional quality maintained in these systems?
A: The nutritional quality will be determined by selection of input ingredients, and our temperature controls will measure shelf-life pertaining to that ingredient.
Q: How do you keep the machine clean?
A: The machine has scheduled self-cleaning mechanism utilizing high pressure hot water and steam, and our equipment certification conforms to the highest food safety standards.
Q: How adaptable is this technology? Can you switch out the wok for a cold application?
A: Yes. The wok is the replacement module, and can be switched by a grill, deep fryer or conveyor oven for all hot food alternatives. While the hot area can be bypassed for all cold bowls such as salads and yogurt. The current version can do any variation of starches that include noodles, pasta and rice.
Tharwat Fouad, founder and president, Anubis 3D
Q: Can Anubis print EOAT for direct contact with food that is FDA approved?
A: Yes, the Nylon 12 (PA2200) we use to build most of our EOAT is FDA approved for food contact. When we build tools for food contact, we do not stain them with any colour, we keep them at their original white colour. We also add a finishing process called vapour finish that closes the porosities and makes the tool easy to clean.
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